Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, on Tuesday inaugurated the National  Industrial Policy and Competitiveness Advisory Council with a charge to create the chance for Nigeria to be competitive in international trade.

The Vice President is the chair of the council with the two ministers of Industry, Okechukwu Enelamah and Aisha Abubakar as chairs of the public sector team.

Also Alhaji Aliko Dangote chairs the private sector group with Atedo Peterside as alternate chair.

At the event in the Presidential villa, the Acting President said the council’s duty was not just patriotic but one to enable Nigerians to create livelihoods for themselves.

“It is not just a patriotic duty but I believe that it is what will rescue and save our country and give our country a real chance to be competitive in global business and commerce.

“And to give our people a fair chance of being able to create livelihood for themselves, jobs and all of those things that will make for a nation of people who are happy and satisfied.’’

The Acting President observed that the council members represented the crème de la crème of industry and business in Nigeria as a group and working with the public sector.

According to him, if the council cannot get it right then it is unlikely that the country can never get it right.

He said the council was important because generally speaking the public sector was not known to be good in business and could not deliver on any industrialisation effort.

Osinbajo said that everywhere the government drove industrialisation, it always ended up in stagnation.

“Even the most successful experiments ended up in stagnation because government simply does not make the best business men or women.

“Government simply is not motivated enough,’’ he said.

He said it was the entrepreneurs’ drive for profit that saved the industry adding that such drives were initially personal.

He said that many of the council members had come to a point where it was not just enough to be wealthy of successful especially in a country with enormous potential.

Osinbajo added that even to make more profits the environment  needed to improve.

“I am really excited that that we are starting something today which I strongly believe that if we do it right we have a chance to turn things around permanently in the country,’’ the Acting President said.

He acknowledged that the key thing was implementation adding that while the private sector had the smartest people in the world, the public sector had the technocrats.

He urged for the collaboration of both sectors to solve many of the problems confronting the industrial sector, including creating good industrial hubs and solving power problems.

He also urged the council to hold the government accountable and make the government to act more effectively.

“I think that what we have tried to do by creating this council is to be able to put policy to test and policy to examination.

“So that there is a process by which the private sector is able to contribute to policy implementation but more importantly also to developing those policies,’’ he said.

The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Enelamah said the council represented what the government was working out in furtherance of the partnership between the public and private sector with respect to industrialisation.

He said he was confident that the council would provide the formula that would work and produce results.

The council discussed the industrialisation priorities for the economy where Aliko Dangote said the council was a welcome development which if well utilised could ensure diversification of the economy.

He urged that government should remove the constraints hindering industrialisation such as power, transportation, inconsistencies in policies, and challenges in land acquisition and communal violence.

He urged the government to strive to implement the recommendations of the council for impact.

Also Mr Atedo Peterside added that the council was there because the industrial sector was not big enough.

He said that environment to accommodate new players should be created especially for the youth who were not much present.

“Our task is to make it possible for existing players to grow and expand and to eliminate the barriers that have kept the youth from taking part in this sector that should be a vibrant sector.

“In so doing our approach has to be holistic.

“It should not be that we do business only by government intervention periodically because if you run the right environment and put the right policies in place government should not need to intervene except in rare cases.’’

All The Members of the Council:

Acting President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (Chairman)

Minister, Industry Trade and Investment, Dr. Okechukwu Enelamah (Vice-Chairman, Public Sector)

Minister of State, Industry, Trade and Investment, Mrs. Aisha Abubakar (Alternate Vice-Chairman, Public Sector)

President, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote (Vice-Chairman, Private Sector)

Chairman, ANAP Business Jets Ltd, Mr. Atedo Peterside (Alternate Vice-Chairman, Private Sector)

OTHER PRIVATE SECTOR MEMBERS:

Chairman, Nigerian Breweries and PZ Cussons Chief Kola Jamodu

Chairman, BUA Group Alhaji Abdulsamad Rabiu

Chairman, IVM Innoson Group of Companies Limited Dr. Innocent Ifediaso Chukwuma

GMD, Chi Foods Nigeria Mr. Rahul Savara

Chairman, Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc Mr. John Coumantarous

CEO, Emzor Pharmaceuticals Mrs. Stella Okoli

Country Head, Olam Mr. Mukul Mathur

President/CEO Beloxxi Industries Limited Mr. Obi Ezeude

MD/CEO Fidson Healthcare Plc Dr. Fidelis Ayebea

Founder, Flutterwave Mr. Iyinoluwa Aboyeji

President & CEO, GE Business Operations Nigeria Mr. Lazarus  Angbazo

CEO, Jumia Mrs. Juliet Anamah

CEO, SecureID Nigeria Ltd Mrs. Kofo Akinkugbe

Chairman/C.E.O, AMMASCO International Limited Alhaji Ado  Mustapha

Chairman, KAM Industries Alhaji Kamaldeen Yusuf

Chairman, United Textiles Plc Alhaji Adamu Atta

Chairman Candel Corporation; CEO Swift Networks Mr. Charles  Anudu

Chairman, Rumbu Sacks Nigeria Limited Alhaji Ibrahim Salisu Buhari

Chairman, Tofa Group Mr. Isiaku Tofa

MD/CEO Proforce Limited Mr. Ade Ogundeyin

President, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria Dr. Frank Udemba Jacobs

OTHER PUBLIC SECTOR MEMBERS:

1. Hon. Minister for Budget & National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma

2. Hon. Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun

3. Hon. Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh

4. Hon. Minister for Power, Works & Housing, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola

5. Hon. Minister for Transportation, Chief Rotimi Amaechi

6. Hon. Minister of State, Petroleum Resources Dr. Ibe Kachikwu

7. Hon. Minister for Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi

8. Hon. Minister for Science & Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu

9. Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele

TECHNICAL COMMITTEE MEMBERS:

1. Economic Adviser to the President Dr. Yemi Dipeolu

2. Trade Adviser/Chief Negotiator Amb. Chiedu Osakwe

3. MD, Bank of Industry Mr. Kayode Pitan

4. Exec. Director/CEO, Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Mr. Olusegun Awolowo

5. Executive Secretary, Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission Ms. Yewande Sadiku

6. Statistician-General, National Bureau of Statistics Dr. Yemi Kale

7. CEO, Economic Associates Dr. Ayo Teriba